Fire-extinguishing apparatus



April 21, 1931- .v. G. w. GILBERT 1,802,144

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Filed April 9, 1928 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Q wmw INVENTOR April 2-1,- 1931-; v. e. w. GILBERT 1,302,144

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Filed April 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR vention' of accidental spilling ofthe-solutions Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES VICTOR w. GILBERT, or aormon, .ENeLeNIaA -srcmoa r0 ,AMEBIcAN La FRANCE AND romarrncoarormrron,ornnwroax n x, A ooaroaa'rron or ncEw Yoax JFIRETEXTINGUISVHING APPARAFIUS Application filed April 9,1928, Serial 'No. 268;681,'and in Great Britain April 22,1927.

The invention relates to portablefire-extinguishing apparatus ofthe kind'comprising generally a container having two compartments for i the component solutions, which mon outlet through whichthe solutions or foam-is expelled 'in time of fire. a

Theobject of the invention 18 the preor premature mixture thereof, as by splashing one into the other, and comprises improved means-for 'closingboth-the foam outlet and one of thesolution compartments. More particularly the invention contemplates the arrangements and mode of operation-exemplified by the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings and as pointed out in the claims.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of an extinguisher showing a "preferred application of the principles of the invention,

Fi s. 2-and3 sectional views-respectively on the lines I'III and III-"III of Fig.1,

Fig. tan end-view of the extinguisher shownin Fig. 1, I

"Fig.5 a vertical section of a modified form,

Fig. 6-is a'broken section-on the line VI-VI of Fig. 5 and g Fig. 7 a section on the'line VII VII of Fig.1. v V

The extinguisherillustrated-is of the kind adapted to be manually inverted in line of fire to efiect the mixture of the solutions and will be recognized as including an outer. container land an inner container 2, comprising the solution compartments, closure cap 3, and handles l and 5, the latter being con veniently located for holding the extinguisher when inverted.

Referring to Figs. '14, the inner container is of annular form and at its upper end is secured to a cage member 6,"whichmay be a casting extending into and fitting theneck 7 of the outer container. A spider 8, preferablyformed integrally with the cage, has a hub 9 recessed to fit over theinner wall of the annular container. The hub is apertured, as at 10, forming a shoulder 11 which seats upon a tube 12 secured to and extending upwardly from the bottom of the container 1.

herae o flead or the like, consti- 'tuting a seal mayibe inserted between the shoulder .11 and the upper 'end 1 of the ;tube. The inner container isthus' supported onthe tube :12 and can be-readily withdrawn when q5 the Cfi1pY3=ls removed. "Thellpper rim of :the cage engages the usualclosurecap gasket sothat bywholding' the hub: 9 in'contactwith 1 its seat on the tube 12the inner containeris jfirmly'held in position.

6G0 The tube 12 serves as the 'disch'argeloutlet ofthe extinguisherv and Ito this end passes *throughthe bottom of the container l into a fixed and laterally directed nozzle 14 which maybe threaded 3 0n the end of the outlet @8 tube and weldedor brazed to the'bottomof thewcontainer. As shown'thc nozzle'is protected .atall times bysthe skirt 15' of-the outer container, a hole 16 providing for the sage of the mixed-solutions or-foam. 5 J0 The upper I face: of the spider constitutes" a seat for a stopple orvalve'member 17 which isprovided with asoft-facmglS to engage the upstanding:shoulders'19 and '20' of the spider. @B'y thissingle meansboth the'out- '1 lettube *12.and the .inner --container -2 are closed,'therebypreventing splashingof one =-solution into the other or through: the outlet as: when the extinguisher-is tilted or agitated during transit: to thecscene ofthe firef 9 In the modified form of Figs. 5, 6'a11'd7,

the-.neckx'flofrthe container is=formed with a plurality of depending hangers 21, four of which are shownin Fig; 7, which; serve as the support for the inner container and also em- $35 bodya discharge outlet tothenozzle. Each vof theha'ngers: has a shoulder 22, one of them beingenlarged,as shown at 23*in Figs. 5 and 7 The-cage (ifits the container neck, as above, andis shoulderedto provide a seat'24 adapted to engage the shoulders 22 to sup port the inner container, which, in this case,

may be. of any usual or suitable form. The

cage-isheld in engagement'with its seat by the closure cap and gasket. Preferably, the container 2xis-fiatte'ned along one side, therebyrpermitting a widerformationof the seat 7 24'adjacentthe hanger-enlargement 23 and" "also ensuring the proper positioning of the cage withrespectto'theenlargement, which F160 is also flattened at this point (Fig. 7). Registering passages 25, 26 in the cage and hanger enlargement constitute the discharge out let to the nozzle, which in this form is rigidly secured to the side wall of the container and connected with the opening 26 by a short pipe 27 which is seated in an enlargement of passage 26.

The foam outlet is thus brought into proximity to the mouth of the inner container and is therefore capable of control, as above, by means of the valve 17 which serves to close the container 2.

A cup member 28 upstanding from the bottom of the outer container may be provided to receive, and prevent undue lateral movement of, the lower end of the inner container.

'In both forms of the invention external valve erating means are shown, comprising a threaded stem 29 passing through a stalling box carried by'the closure cap; on its outer end the stem is provided with a hand wheel 30 and on its inner end with a head 31 loosely enclosed by a yoke 32 upstanding from the back of the valve. lVhen the hand wheel is turned to tighten the valve against its seat, the extinguisher can be tilted, agitated or even inverted without :tear of either of the solutions splashing into each other, or of one or the other of them spilling out through the nozzle. In time of fire it is merely necesssary to turn the hand-wheel. to lift the valve clear of its seat and invert the extinguisher; both the discharge outlet and the inner container being open, the solutions will be mixed and expelled by way of nozzle'14 inthe usual manner.

Itwill also be apparent that by removing the closure cap, the inner container and cage may be withdrawn as a unit. Thereupon iii1- mediate access may be had both to the container 1 and the discharge outlet, for inspection or cleaning, and without in any way disturbing the nozzle or outlet connections.

Having now described my invention '1 claim e 1. A fire extinguisher comprising an outer solution container, an inner solution containor having an outlet constituting a valve seat, a discharge nozzle outside of said outer con tainer, a tube within said container connected with the nozzle and'terminating in a valve seat, said valve seats being approximately in the same plane, and a single externallyoperated valve member simultaneouslyengage able with both said seats and arranged to close in the direction of flow through said tube. 1

2. In a fire extingnisherrthe combination of an inner solution container, an outer container having its side walls extended below the bottom of the same to provide a supportskirt, an open discharge nozzle located Within the space enclosed by said skirt, a

team discha ge tube communicating with said nozzle and extending upwardly within the outer container, a closure cap for the upper end of the latter, a valve adapted to seat on the upper end of said tube and external operating means for the valve carried by the closure cap.

3. A fire extinguisher comprising in combination an outer solution container, an inner solution container, a discharge tube arranged to support the latter within the outcontainer and terminating at its inner end adjacent the mouth of the inner container and an externally operated valve member sin'niltaneously controlling the said end of the discharge tube and the mouth of the inner container.

a. A fire extinguisher comprising in combination an outer solution container, a centrally located, longitudinally extending disannular form encircling said tube, the upper end of the inner container and said tube ter minating in valve seats arranged approximately in the same plane, and a single Valve member adapted to simultaneously engage both said seats.

5. A fire extinguisher comprising an outer solution container, an inner solution container, a supporting member for the latter having a foam discharge outlet and adapted to" support said inner container with its open end substantially in the plane of said outlet, and a valve operable to simultaneously open or close the outlet and inner container.

6. In a fire extinguisher, the combination H VICTOR G. \V. GILBERT.

charge tube, an inner solution container of 

